Video: Navs at Superbooth '22

Just ahead of this year's Superbooth, here's my set from SB'22:

Thanks to Andreas, Evi, Tom, Mareen & Barry!

Funkhaus Fun + Ribbon Tales

Thanks to everyone who came to see the concerts in Saal 2 of the Funkhaus on Friday night of Superbooth. Wolfgang Seidel, Hillary Jeffery, Hainbach, Frank Bretschneider and I had a great time. Thanks also to Andreas Schneider and especially Adam and his team for the wonderful sound and light.



Our trio’s set was improvised but Wolfgang and I did have one ‘get to know you’ musical session, during which I noticed he uses not one but three Doepfer R2M ribbon controllers! I had tried one of these years ago, when Schneider bundled them together with an Analogue Solutions MS-20 filter/ VCA and Doepfer VCO - the Jimi-Box, named for Hendrix.



But the ‘widdle’ wore thin pretty quick so I passed on the analogue version of the ribbon controller. The R2M, of course, can ‘speak’ both analogue and digital. It’s a good partner for the MIDI-equipped Clavia Micromodular, which has only three knobs and no keyboard. For its part, the Micromodular, with its familiar environment and patch recall, is the perfect accompaniment to an analogue modular when playing live. You can see me using them in the second picture above.

Here are two patches from that concert. One is inspired by Peter Grenader’s iconic ribbon video from a few years ago. Note position determines pitch, panning and also speed of the clocking VC-LFO, pressure adds modulation.



I wanted to use a voltage controlled radio during our set at the Funkhaus, the former East German broadcasting house, but was unsure of whether I’d get any reception. The answer was to mimic the random bursts of noise and music fragments with this second patch. Three comparators provide an on-off switch for the virtual radio, tonal and frequency changes.



You can download the patches and R2M preset info here. Let me know how you get on!

NAMM & Noodles

NAMM 2015 was a bit of a blur. It was my first visit and at times a little overwhelming. But it was lovely to meet friends old and new and I’m looking forward to next year. Thanks to Andreas Schneider and the gang for an unforgettable experience.



Thanks also to Dennis Vershoor, aka mono-poly, and his Noodlebar crew for a great time in Rotterdam. Dennis performed at the first Basic Electricity in Berlin so it was nice for me to play the return leg on his home turf.

This was the first time I’d gigged with my mini set-up, consisting of just a Clavia Micromodular, Faderfox LV2, delay and mixer - an exercise in Zen noodles!

NAVS (Berlin) - Noodlebar ::: February 7th 2015 from Streamline Media on Vimeo.

Mungo in Berlin

Recordings of some of the modules from the Mungo range.



John Pillans very kindly allowed me to spend some time with a case of his Mungo modules in October. I've finally got round to editing and uploading some of the recordings I made with these instruments:



The demos are comprehensive, but if you want more you can buy the album for the full, unedited recordings (17 tracks, 45+ mins).

The case contained the instruments lined up here as well as the p0 & r0 percussion and reverb modelling units. I was drawn to the w0 oscillator and the g0 granular sampler in particular, so there are more examples of those. For a primer on Mungo modules in use, read my post on the d0 here.

If the d0 took some time to fathom, what to make of a case full of Mungo? Well, I took them one at a time, using modules from my main system to provide a control or familiar ground. Even seemingly simple modules like the mixer had me scratching my head. In general, I think more visual indicators would be helpful to clearly show the status of outputs and modes. And, depending on the module in question, the Zoom function can be a source of confusion. The massive range and detail offered might make them more suited to the studio than the stage. Patching takes patience but the payoff is full flexibility and excellent audio quality.

A few words on the modules themselves: my interest in the g0 was real-time sampling and manipulation of blocks, rather than grains, of sound. In that sense, it's over-spec'd for me but the underlying technology means that the audio is smooth and clean. Of the modules in the case, this is the one I still pine for. I think John got a bit carried away with the hyperbole when describing the w0, but it really does combine a lot of features. It is digital, so factor in some filtering post FM. The f0 is nice if unspectacular but worth remembering that it too is digital and, as such, different. The m0 is the first EG/ VCA/ mixer combo I've had to use an oscilloscope to understand! The p0 percussion, v0 vocoder and r0 reverb are subtle instruments that require the detailed control offered by the Zoom function.

Watch the official videos to get more ideas and information, including on the n0 noise module. Or, if you're in Berlin, you can try some of the modules at Schneidersladen.



A belated thank you to those who came along to the Mungo workshop, Andreas Schneider and the Schneidersbüro staff for hosting us and to John for taking the time to explain the technology and ideas behind his unique designs!

Berlin Nights

Had a cracking time with new and old synthesizer friends at Schneiders' Messe Aftershow in Kreuzberg on Thursday night. Look forward to a video including Mark Verbos and Koma Chrisi's funky set.



Highlight: Schneider & Splitradix improv on funk bass and megaphone. Low point: the whisky selection at Zum Goldenen Hahn post aftershow.



If you're in Neukölln next weekend, I'll be playing live at Clockwork#1, a modular synthesizer night hosted by Koma Elektronik.

Hope to see you there!

Clockwork#1
29 March, 20:30
at Drumherum
Lichtenraderstr. 49
12049 Berlin

Cwejman MMF-2 Demo

Impressions of the Cwejman MMF-2 stereo multi-mode filter.



The MMF-2 came out this summer and quickly sold out. Having spent some time with one, it's easy to understand why. It offers a wealth of possibilities and sounds great. Have a listen:


Buy the album to access the full recordings (10 tracks, 55 mins).

The MMF-2 can be used to process mono or stereo signals. The filters can be run in parallel, or if patched, in series. It features two types of saturation and a dry/ wet mix. For a full description, see the MMF-2 product page linked above.

The MMF-2 shares much in common with the MMF-6. It's confident, bold and, to my taste, more musical than its single-sibling. It FMs beautifully and, when oscillating with some saturation, can be used for plucked/ percussive sounds or aggressive basslines. It can also be self-patched to make crazy, chaotic noise. It really comes alive when using the mix feature.

Here are some thoughts that cropped up in use: the initial frequencies of the left and right channels need to be manually balanced in stereo patches. You can't sweep the entire frequency range with the master as the L&R cutoff pots are offsets. Inter-channel CV normalization and attenu-verters would be useful e.g. in a LP/ HP configuration. The filter slopes might be too steep for some external audio processing tasks. Saturation is either on or off, but the amount is determined by the input level. I would have liked an input VCA but, as Wowa told me, the MMF-2 is already 'a beast', both in terms of size and stereo circuitry.

The MMF-2 can be clean or brutal, used to transform mono or stereo signals or even as a dual voice module. Look out for the next run.

Thanks to Wowa for answering my questions and to Schneidersbuero for the loan.

Mystery Beatbox

Spotted at Schneidersladen. One of five, custom-built, apparently based on a Hohner drum machine, master clock operation only, price unknown. Sadly, couldn't hear it in action.







Full-size pictures are here. Thanks to Moondust for the loan of the camera and the delicious Swiss chocolate!

New Neulant van Exel Cases

Spotted at Schneidersladen. Cases come in a choice of colours and wood. PSU is a Tiptop Audio Zeus. Prices TBC, but could be around €1100 for the large (18U) and €800 for the small (9U) versions.






You might remember Neulant van Exel's portable case, the Klangformer.

Release: Trans Europa Exzess

Studio version of my set at the Schneidersbuero Superbooth event at the Saasfee Pavillion last week.


I took a 6U system to Frankfurt, which was the same rig I used for the above recording: 4MS RCD + breakout, Analogue Solutions MX224 & SH-NZ, Cwejman RES-4, MMF-1 & VCA-4MX, Doepfer A-133, Makenoise Wogglebug & Maths, Plan B M15 & M12, Toppobrillo Sport Modulator & Triple Wavefolder and, of course, the EHX Stereo Memory Man w/ Hazarai.



This was the first time I received the full security check the airport, involving a visit to a special room and swab test on the case. A tip for modular travelers: when asked whether you are a DJ and your equipment is a mixer, answer 'yes' to both questions.

Thanks to Andreas and all involved - it was a great evening!

TransEuropaExzess

A heads-up about Schneidersbuero's Superbooth tour, TransEuropaExzess, which kicks off with a special evening event during the Musikmesse next week in Frankfurt.



Look forward to the new Modular Merry-Go-Round, drinks and live performances from 4ms and others at the Saasfee Pavillion on Thursday, 7th April from 9 p.m.

More details about the Superbooth here.

Club Transmediale Reminder

A reminder of the Club Transmediale which opens this week and of my modular workshop & tour of Schneidersbuero on Wednesday.

Look forward to seeing you there - in the meantime, here are some moody shots from the buero:


Mini Teststation


Haken Horns


State Zero

You might remember the Mungo from this post. I've since had a chance to play with the Leploop and you can look forward to an overview with audio soon. The State Zero still eludes me, but as soon as I find a ruck-sack big enough ...

Clubtransmediale 2011

CTM.11

A belated Happy New Year and a heads up about CTM.11, which runs from 1 - 6 February in Berlin. This year's festival features concerts by Morton Subotnick and me, although, unfortunately, we won't be performing together.


Morton Subotnick, CTM.11

Subotnick will be opening the festival on the 31.1 with a reworking of his classic "Silver Apples of the Moon". Joining him on stage at the HAU will be Berlin video artist Lillevan and Korean pianist SooJin Anjou. Details here.

Subotnick will also be giving a lecture at the 'Pioneers' session on 3.2. at the HAU1, which will also premiere Stan Warnow's "Deconstructing Dad" about the life and work of Raymond Scott.


Ursula Bogner, CTM.11

Electronic enigma Ursula Bogner will join Faitiche label-mates, including Jan Jelinek, at the Festsaal Kreuzberg on the 2.2.

Robert Henke, aka Monolake, will perform a wave field synthesis, or surround sound, concert on the 3.2. at the HAU2.

For more concert dates, see the CTM.11 Programm Preview.


Leaf-Audio, CTM.11

Leaf Audio will be hosting another of their DIY workshops at the HAU3 on 2.2, where participants can build one of their snack-box synthesizers, like the Bumsss, BongBong and wonderful Fuzz-O-Mat. Register here.


Schneidersbuero, CTM.11

And, also on the 2.2., I'll be giving a guided tour of Schneidersbuero and playing a short live set, possibly including my take on Subotnick's Sidewinder and Ghost Tracks technique.

If you're in Berlin, I look forward to seeing you at some of the events!

Schneiders London Testsalon Opening

Some pictures from the opening event at Rough Trade East last Sunday.









It's been a while since I've been down Brick Lane and I was amazed at the buzz on the streets. Rough Trade East is a great location for the Testsalon and I wish Andreas and the lads every success with the venture. Thanks to everyone who came along - it was great to meet you!



TOP: Cwejman RES-4, MMF-1, Toppobrillo TWF, A-132 VCA, Harvestman Hertz Donut, VCA-4MX; BOTTOM: A-147 VCLFO, A-160/1 clock divider/ sequencer, Fonitronik Attenuverting Mixer, Analogue Solutions SH-NZ, Make Noise Wogglebug & Maths, Bananalogue/ Serge VCS.

Above is a picture of the 6U case I took with me. I can happily confirm that it met Easyjet's carry-on luggage regulations. There was a sharp intake of breath from the passengers behind me as I opened the case at security in Berlin - the people at Luton didn't even bat an eyelid. I asked Easyjet about taking a 9U as carry-on: unfortunately, it's too big.

Putting together a 6U performance case was a real challenge. My normal approach is to ensure that I have all eventualities covered e.g. VCAs, polarizers, mixers etc., but this time the solution was to think in terms of the set I wanted to play and populate the case accordingly. Anything I hadn't used in rehearsal (mults, logic, sound-shaping filters, complex envelopes etc.) was easily left out.

My set comprised of three sections and relied on re-patching & repurposing the modules e.g. filter as oscillator, envelope as trigger delay etc. Rather than using LFOs, a joystick or keyboard/ Pressure Points, I made all changes manually.

Section one: white noise tuned by the RES-4 to provide a pad, the MMF-1 randomly pinged by the Wogglebug (the Allen Strange 'tail-chasing' patch); section two: my faux binary zone patch (MMF-1 through TWF as bassline), RES-4 pinged by clock divider for 'Berlin-style' stabs, high-pitched waveform discontinuity sound from Hertz Donut principal as high hat, modulator as kick drum and, section three, the RES-4 excited by the VCS and run through the TWF for some distorted klonks, with the HD providing some 'stupid' accompaniment and the MMF-1 rumbling the subs.

Part workshop, part gig, this was an interesting experience - despite rehearsing, the one thing I wasn't prepared for was shaky patch-hands. On more than one occasion, I missed the jack and hit the face-plate! Self-contained instruments like Maths, the Wogglebug & Hertz Donut are perfect for small systems (although the latter's secondary CV inputs, which need to be activated, are hardly performance-friendly!). The biggest lesson, though, was to bring your own monitoring: if you can't hear your music properly, you can't respond. Next time, I'll be wearing headphones!

Navs Live @ Schneidersbuero London

I'll be performing a short set at the opening of Schneidersbuero's London showroom at Rough Trade East this Sunday.

Here's a short taste of what it might sound like:

Roughtrade Teaser by navs

The carry-on luggage regulations mean I'll be traveling from Berlin to London with a 6U case. It's been quite a challenge to find a happy balance between favourites and functionality, but also quite revealing to discover just what my desert-island modules are.

I hope you're as excited as I am about the opening and look forward to seeing some of you there!

Schneidersbuero London Showroom
Sunday 10th October, 11:00-17:00
Official opening and music @ 14:00
Rough Trade East

Dieter Doepfer's Workshop

Some images from Dieter Doepfer's workshop, held last night at Schneidersladen.

The evening started with Dieter introducing us to his favourite past-time by baking a south Tirolean speciality - a buckwheat and berry cake ...


Andreas & Dieter get to grips with the Melita 106 filter.


Mixing it up.


The DIY synth


The board plus mini PSU


Here's one I prepared earlier.


Last slice

The DIY synth packs loads of features into an affordable board and sounds great. The filter has real weight and, if desired, very aggressive resonance. Standard op amps are used throughout, so no obsolete Curtis parts to worry about. For more info, check out the DIY synth product page.

At times it was hard to concentrate on the electronics with the mouthwatering smell of fresh baking wafting in from the adjacent room, but it was worth the wait.

Thanks to Dieter and Andreas for a lovely, informative evening and delicious cake!

Flame Tame Machine

Tame Machine, spotted at Schneidersladen:







Can't be long before it's available!

Does Size Matter?

Synthspotting at Schneidersladen this week ...

The impossibly sweet yet unfathomable Leploop:






Sounds fantastic and begs to be tweaked. The fact that no-one in the shop knew how to programme it added to its allure and the fun-factor. I've got to have one of these!

See also this Matrixsynth post.



The gigantic Mungo Enterprises State Zero:





8-note polyphonic patchable beast of a synth. Looks stunning, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to play with it. More info and sounds at the Mungo Enterprises site.